Eric Cantor

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley), another fellow member of the Committee on Ways and Means.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I would defer that decision to the Committee on Rules, but believe they will make a number of amendments in order on each bill.

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I tell the gentleman from Maryland, the minority whip, that the conference committee has met a number of times this week and I believe they are narrowing in on agreement. The gentleman from California (Chairman Lewis) has informed us that his goal is to reach an agreement with the Senate in time to file a conference report on Monday which would allow the House to consider it as early as Wednesday.

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, the House will convene on Tuesday at 2 p.m. for legislative business. We will consider several measures under suspension of the rules. A final list of those bills will be sent to Members' offices by the end of the week. Any votes called on those measures will be rolled until 6:30 p.m. On Wednesday and Thursday, the House will convene at 10 a.m. for legislative business. We may consider additional legislation under suspension of the rules, as well as two bills under a rule, H.R. 1185, the Federal Deposit Insurance Reform Act, and H.R. 366, the Vocational and Technical Education For the Future Act.

Mr. CANTOR. We plan to consider the vocational education bill on Wednesday, and the deposit insurance reform bill on Thursday.

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to have the following names removed as a cosponsors of H.R. 1762: Mr. Feeney of Florida, Mrs. Johnson of Connecticut, and Mr. Jindal of Louisiana.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, April 24th marks the anniversary of one of the most horrible tragedies of the 20th century, the genocide that was committed against the Armenian people by the Ottoman Empire. Over one million people were forced into exile and lost their lives during this horrible tragedy that befell the Armenian people in 1915. The United States is proud of the strong ties we share with Armenia. Over the years many Armenian-Americans have helped to enrich and enhance our Nation's character; we have remained committed to peace in the region and will continue to help Armenia with its economic prosperity and strengthening of its democracy. On this day of remembrance I send my solemn wishes to Armenians everywhere. I look forward to our nations working toward a future of peace, prosperity, and continued freedom.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Chairman, the comprehensive energy package that we pass today is a major step forward in our ability to provide certainty in the United States' energy sector. This legislation is the result of hundreds of hours of work developing a plan that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, improve our economy, and create jobs. This legislation improves our nation's electricity transmission and reliability. It provides for safer, stable and more reliable energy sources within our own country, making us less reliant on oil from the Middle East. Clean coal technology and incentives for renewable energies are a key part to the future of energy production and consumption in this country. Domestic oil and gas exploration will make us less susceptible to the rising prices of foreign energy sources. And let us not forget that this bill does something for American families. As gas prices climb, it becomes more and more expensive to take our children to sports games, visit out-of-town family, and even drive. to work. We need relief from high gas prices and this legislation is a step in that direction.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Matt Kiehl, a constituent who at the age of 17 has been awarded the rank of Eagle Scout. Matt has been involved in scouting since the age of seven when he started as a Tiger Cub. For the last 10 years, he has worked toward this goal which culminated in his Eagle Scout project to construct a prayer path at the Shalom House in Montpelier, Virginia. He, along with about 25 volunteers, completed the project this past December 18. Matt is an exceptional student at the Maggie Walker Governor's School. Next year, he will join the ``We the People'' Team. This nationwide competition is based on students' knowledge and understanding of the Constitution. He also finished second in the National Catholic Forensic League state competition this year and will compete at the national competition. Mr. Speaker, I join the Kiehl family--his father, Mark; mother, Leslie; and his sisters Jennifer and Stephanie--in honoring and recognizing the remarkable achievements of Matt. I am confident we will hear great things from him in the future.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, we have before us today a bill that provides a safety net for people who have lost a job, had health problems, or served in the military and cannot repay their debts. It gives them the opportunity for a fresh start while continuing to hold accountable those who are able to repay their debts. Bankruptcy abuse represents a ``hidden tax'' on the American people. When businesses have to raise the cost of their products due to unpaid liabilities, that cost is passed unfairly to all of us. When people file for bankruptcy and cancel out their debts, small businesses suffer major financial setbacks. Bankruptcy to a small business triggers a change in its bottom line. A smaller bottom line means less money to pay employees, which leads to job cuts--something nobody would like to talk about, and certainly nobody would like to encourage. This legislation will modernize the system and make it more difficult to hide behind the protections of filing for bankruptcy. With this bill we will lessen the impact of the unpaid debt that is a hindrance to thousands of businesses and hurts our ability to create jobs.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the permanent repeal of the death tax. To put it simply, the death tax is just wrong. It is wrong to encourage people to work hard all their life, only to have the government reap the benefits when they die. It is wrong to levy hefty taxes against families of thriving small business owners just because their parents were successful. It is wrong to stifle economic growth by forcing small businesses to close because of an overbearing tax bill delivered by a greedy Uncle Sam. Mr. Speaker, our Republican majority stands firmly against double taxation on working families. Taxes have already been paid on the assets subject to additional taxation under the death tax. I am confident that Americans are far better equipped than politicians to decide how to best spend their hard earned money. It is time for Congress to let important fiscal decisions to be made where they should be, at the kitchen table, not at the tax table. Let's repeal this unjust tax and empower American working families who know best how to make the right decisions for themselves.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life and legacy of Pope John Paul II, who traveled the world for twenty-six years and touched billions of lives. In the countries he visited, he delivered a message of peace and reminded the world about the power of love for all humanity. As the leader of the Catholic Church, he worked toward the fall of communism and spread hope to millions of oppressed people. One of the most influential figures of the modern era, this son of Poland taught us to respect human life in all forms. His legacy will be felt for generations to come. His actions in life and his strength in death have inspired people of all faiths. I join with billions around the world who mourn the loss and celebrate the life of this great man.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, today we are facing a problem that if gone unchecked will have a detrimental effect on business's ability to create jobs and opportunity. In June, small and large companies will be subject to mandatory expensing of their stock options as required by the Financial Accounting Standards Board. If businesses are forced to adhere to this untested and risky expensing method, it could hamper our growing economy at a time when it is crucial to sustain growth and create jobs, not stop it. It is important that businesses continue to be able to use this valuable tool to attract employees to the market. Expensing of stock options will cause a blow to small business's investment and innovation. It will harm a market that uses stock options as a tool to recruit high quality employees to small firms. These innovators would be lost to larger, more established companies. Stock options serve as a tool to drive innovation and creativity by linking company success to employee success. The Security and Exchange Commission has the duty to delay this plan until the valuation methods can be improved; I urge them to do so.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Melinda and Merrill Gold on the birth of their twin daughters, Eliana Paige and Molly Gabrielle. Born February 12, 2005, Eliana and Molly are named in loving memory of their great grandmothers Ita Akerman and Mollie Freedman. Mr. Speaker, I hope you will join me in wishing the Gold family great happiness and joy in the coming years.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the remarkable contributions of Brian K. Plum to the Page County Republican Committee during his service as chairman and for his service to the Town of Shenandoah in Virginia's Seventh District. Brian's dedication to grassroots activism is evident by his many years of service to the Page Committee. At a young age, Brian was active in the party and organized the Young Republicans at Page County High School. During his three years as chairman, Brian continued to work tirelessly to organize and grow the committee. In that time, I had the pleasure of observing Brian's commitment and dedication to our party. His strong leadership and common sense have had tremendous effects on the committee, have ensured its success and growth, and quickly allowed him to gain the respect of many established and active members. Brian's commitment to his community extends beyond his work as chairman. Brian serves as the treasurer for Citizens of Shenandoah and the Shenandoah Community Library. He is also a volunteer with and member of numerous community organizations including the Shenandoah Heritage Center, Lafayette Lodge #137 and the Shriners. Currently, Brian serves the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the Office of the Attorney General as a Senior Budget Analyst. Brian's commitment to service and his desire to work for the good of his community are a remarkable example to all. Mr. Speaker, I hope you will join me in recognizing Brian and offering our most sincere thanks to Brian and his wife, Jenny, for their years of service.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, earlier this month, on Friday, February 4, the American Dental Association marshaled thousands of dentists and other volunteers across the country to provide dental services to hundreds of thousands of children who otherwise would not receive them. The year 2005 marks the third consecutive year for the ADA's Give Kids A Smile/National Children's Dental Access Day, a project the ADA and its 152,000 member dentists are committed to continuing until the nation's most vulnerable children have access to proper dental care. In what former Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher called a ``silent epidemic,'' millions of American children suffer with painful, disfiguring and preventable dental disease. They cannot eat or sleep properly, cannot pay attention in school, cannot smile. They deserve better. ADA, its corporate partners and the thousands of individuals who participate in Give Kids A Smile are determined to wake the nation up to the extent and severity of untreated dental disease among disadvantaged children. I urge every member of this House to join them in that effort. One important way we can do that is to show our support by attending one or more Give Kids A Smile events in our home districts. You may be dismayed by the conditions some of these children live with, but you'll also be inspired by the spirit, energy and generosity of your constituent volunteers. Please contact your state or local dental association and show your support for Give Kids A Smile. Your doing so will lend momentum to the quest for long-term solutions and be a wonderful inspiration to the volunteers.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Chairman, I congratulate the chairman and the Committee on Government Reform for reporting out this bill that is so important that this Congress take action on and take action on now. Of course we need to do this. Of course we need to pass the REAL ID Act. Because as the chairman just said, certainly all of us who board planes want to know that there is some integrity to our ID system in this country and that terrorists are not boarding planes by the use of a state-issued identification card. This is not conjecture. This is what happened on 9/11. This is what the 9/11 Commission suggested that we take action on, and this is what we are here doing today. As the chairman suggested, I am proud to say that in 2003 Virginia, under the leadership of former Attorney General Jerry Kilgore, acted to close this dangerous loophole. The General Assembly passed and the Governor signed into law a provision which requires the minimum standard, which says that anyone applying for a license in Virginia must have legal status in this country; that they must have a visa; and that the license that would be issued would coterminate with the termination or expiration of that visa. This is just common sense. Why do we want terrorists to have a license issued by a State to go and board our airplanes and commandeer those airplanes into a building? It is time for Congress to act, to provide and mandate a minimum standard for States when they issue State IDs, including driver's licenses, to require that individuals who have that privilege be here in this country legally. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) for his leadership on this, and I urge passage of the REAL ID Act.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer my congratulations to the Palestinian people who recently elected Mahmoud Abbas as the new President of the Palestinian Authority. Mr. Abbas has been given a historic opportunity to alter the direction of the Palestinian leadership from one of terror under Yasser Arafat to one of peace. It is critical that Mr. Abbas capitalize on this opportunity to deal with Israel which has long been searching for a partner in peace and not revert to the terrorist ways of his predecessor. Accomplishing this goal will not be easy. Mr. Abbas must actively work to dismantle the terrorist organizations that plagued the hopes of the Palestinian people, using all means of force if necessary. He must recognize and acknowledge that no progress towards peace can be made until the terrorist organizations that operate freely amongst the Palestinian population stop the killing of innocent men, women, and children on the streets of Israel. Mr. Abbas must end incitement against Israel. Only by ending the multi-generational hate can the Palestinian Authority begin the painful path towards peace. The task that stands before Mr. Abbas may seem daunting, but these are crucial steps towards improving the life of the Palestinian people. We cannot afford to return to Palestinian leadership that one day disavows terror and the next day stands shoulder to shoulder with the terrorist organizations that carry out murder. This double standard is unacceptable. Again, I congratulate Mr. Abbas and encourage him to tackle these problems head on and avail himself of this historic opportunity to work with the Israeli Government to improve the lives of the Palestinian people.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I offer a resolution (H. Res. 66) and ask unanimous consent for its immediate consideration.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Republican Conference, I offer a privileged resolution (H. Res. 65) and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, today we mark the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp, a component of the murderous network used by the Nazis in World War II. Throughout their network of evil, the Nazis slew the blameless and pure, men and women and children, with vapors of poison and burned them with fire. For many of the survivors, the Holocaust did not end with liberation. Those who survived faced the enormous challenge of rebuilding their lives. Many succeeded, others did not, but all would remember the horror of the crimes that they were forced to witness. Survivors who suffered this hell are a living testament to the depths of evil to which men can fall. We must never again allow such a heinous crime of man to be committed against his fellow man. I want to take this opportunity to thank the countless people who have devoted their lives to ensuring that the history of the death camps has not been forgotten by following generations. Today marks the Jewish holiday of Tu'Beshvat. Tu'Beshvat is considered the New Year for nature in the Jewish calendar and marks the first signs of spring in Israel. On this day of spring and hope, let us renew our commitment to hope in man and rededicate ourselves to those words, ``never again.''

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of a grateful nation and the citizens of the Seventh District of the Commonwealth of Virginia, I would like to personally thank Staff Sergeant Christopher B. Wilson for his honorable service to the Armed Forces of the United States of America. I celebrate his return from service abroad, and this country will forever be grateful for his leadership, unwavering dedication to the mission, and the bravery he demonstrated each day in the face of danger. Staff Sergeant Wilson, a proud member of the Virginia National Guard's 229th Military Police Company, returned home to his family and friends in April of 2004. He served two tours of duty defending our homeland and liberating the people of Iraq. He defended our nation's capital during Operation Noble Eagle. Again he answered our nation's call-to-arms, spending 14 months in the Middle East during Operation Iraqi Freedom. We will never forget his service as he has set an enduring example for all Americans. His service is a perfect model for all men and women in uniform who wage the daily war on terror. His family and community, the American Military, and the United States of America should be proud of his service. His actions are consistent with the finest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United States of America. Staff Sergeant Christopher B. Wilson, I again thank you for your selfless service and welcome you home.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns on this legislative day, it adjourn to meet at noon on Saturday, October 9, 2004.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the majority whip for yielding me this time and congratulate him for bringing this bill forward. I also thank the minority whip, the gentleman from Maryland, for his work on this piece of legislation. I, too, rise in support of this bill. I think I, too, have been a hugger. I know many of our colleagues in this House have attended several Special Olympics events and have seen firsthand the limitless capabilities of these athletes. I am encouraged just about the prospects of how many more athletes will be drawn to these events because of the passage of this legislation. A few years ago, Special Olympics Virginia received a grant that allowed the organization to implement a program specifically aimed at Richmond's inner city and giving individuals there otherwise bound to a life without physical athletic competition just a whole new outlook. Over a period of 4 years, the program grew to serve over 1,000 athletes. I am hopeful that this legislation will serve as a catalyst for the same type of growth all across the Commonwealth of Virginia and throughout our country. I would like to recognize Paul Marretti from my district who is a Special Olympics global messenger. Paul educates individuals around the world about the mission, philosophy and benefits of Special Olympics. He is a true leader who is committed to educating people, including Members of Congress, about this incredible program as well as introducing it and attracting more athletes to it. I would also like to recognize Mr. Roy Zeidman, Mr. Rick Jeffreys and everyone at Special Olympics Virginia who make such a difference in so many lives. I am hopeful that this legislation will further help all of them in their efforts.